Truth
by The Less You See
Summary: Second in the Lies trilogy. Thor stood and watched the entire event, all the while holding back tears. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't defy the All-Father, but he couldn't let his brother die. What can I do?


Disclaimer: I don't own Avengers or Loki or any of the good stuff (because I mean, owning Tom Hiddleston…need I say more?) Though, all props to Joss Whedon

Today is arguably the worst day of my long eternity.

Today I was ordered to watch the execution of my little brother.

I was the one to bring Loki home. I was the only one to stand by his side during the sentencing. I was the only one to treat him humanely while he remained locked in his magick-proof cage for one and a half days.

And now, I was the only one to stand by his side as he awaited his own death.

Oh how proud I was of my little brother. How he would kill me if he could have heard my thoughts, but I wouldn't acknowledge anything else.

Despite the jeers and insults thrown in his face by the waiting public, he stood facing them all with his head held high and his pride and dignity remaining intact all the while. To face your death and still be able to maintain your sanity, oh the mental strength you must possess. As the God of Trickery though, I would imagine that you must be at least partially hard of heart. You have to steel yourself to the fact that you lie to those you love and hold dear. Not just anyone can maintain such a mask.

My brother just happened to one of the unlucky few.

Odin stood behind us, awaiting the moment where the large clock above the town's center would chime six o'clock. Sunset being the designated time for the execution.

A strong noose was being tied behind the two of us and we both knew it.

Neither of us dared to face it for fear of losing what little composure we still possessed.

Or what sanity.

Finally, after a few minutes of listening to the boo's directed at Loki, the clock mercifully struck six. We all waited for the chimes to stop. The six seconds in which six resounding boom's echoed in everyone's ears and in their hearts.

The twilight was sacred for the God of Deception. It was the grey line between night and day.

Just like the line between evil and good.

Darkness and light.

Silence and sound.

Rejection and acceptance.

Lies and truth.

Everyone knew what happened next. No one wanted to see their once prince strung up, no matter how much they hated him and detested him for the shame he has brought to Asgard. But even in the eyes of those who hate him, they still could not truly see him a villain.

A moment passed. A heartbeat.

And then Odin All-Father's voice rang out amongst the din of the crowd. "We all have gathered here today, at this hour of twilight, for one reason. To see the punishment of Loki Laufeyson, traitor to Asgard, delivered.

I flinched at the choice of words, but Loki seemed not affected.

"His punishment for all his heinous crimes can be no less than death."

Again, no flinch.

"For all the shame he has brought upon Asgard and you, it's citizens."

No reaction.

"And for the dishonour and disappointment he has brought upon his adopted brother Thor and upon me his adopted father." Odin announced to the crowd.

At this Loki flinched. Pain echoed through his eyes and he glanced up at me, looking for all the world like a scared little boy.

This brought back the memories of the nights where thunder and lightning struck down from Valhalla and scared my brother half to death. I of course, being the God of Lightning, felt reasonably comfortable with the downpour. However, my brother was terrified of this natural phenomena. Every time a storm came upon his, he would come to me and slip under my bedsheets to wait out the storm with me. We never said anything beyond the sweet nothings I said to calm him. As soon as the lightning had passed, he would always slip out of my room and go back to his, lest father find out of bed.

For God's weren't supposed to need comfort.

But children did.

They not only required it, but they craved it.

It was something I got often, along with praise and acceptance.

Loki never got a word.

"Loki Laufeyson, do you understand the reasons you are to be submitted to this punishment?" Odin asked only out of tradition and as a last respect to a dead man.

My brother nodded.

"Speak, child." Odin commanded.

"I do." Loki answered unwillingly, his voice raspy with stress and pain.

"Then you accept this punishment as your own for the crimes you know you have committed."

It was more of a statement than a question, but rather than be reprimanded again, Loki replied, "I do."

"Very well then," Odin sighed wearily, as if what he was about to do pained him. It very well should have. "Loki Laufeyson, step forward."

He complied and stepped onto the raised platform that all to soon would be dropped away from his feet. The noose was then securely tightened around his neck, before the executioner moved away from his prisoner.

Loki turned to face us all, but it was me he looked at. Until the Odin All-Father pulled the lever to end my younger brother's life.

His neck snapped instantly under the weight of his body and the crack resounded through the square.

It took me a moment or two to find my voice, but soon I found myself pleading with my father, "Please, father! Do not do this!" I cried, "Loki may be a criminal, but he is still your son. He only did this so you would acknowledge him! It's not completely his fault!"

Whispers began to go around, why is the one next in line for the throne pleading for one criminal's life?

I waited for several agonizing seconds, never taking my eyes away from my brother's.

My father said no.

Loki's eyes, his amazing green eyes that I had always secretly been jealous of, dimmed. All light left them a second later and his eyelids dropped closed.

My Loki, my baby brother, was dead.

"No!" I cried out in anguish, "NO!" I rushed to my brother's side and removed the noose from around his shattered neck and reset it.

In those final moments, I knew my brother would not make it out of this alive.

But he could speak.

And for now, that was enough.

"Thor, my brother." He whispered.

"Loki." I said, my voice breaking over his name.

"I never said it, but you always knew that I really did love you didn't you?" He choked out.

"I did." I answered, "As a friend of mine once said, the opposite of love is indifference and you were quite obviously not indifferent in any way towards me."

"Hahaha." I chuckled, it sounding more like a gurgling brook than his pretty bell-tone laugh he'd always kept throughout his life.

"Just like father." I said. His laughter stopped just as quickly as it stopped, "You still love him as well don't you."

I could tell immediately that he obviously thought Odin had left moments ago, instead of staying for what might very well be his son's last words.

"I do." He sighed, the strength in his limbs leaving him as I felt him grow weaker in my arms, "I never stopped to be honest. I was just so angry that he never seemed to care. I didn't care what kind, but I just craved some sort of attention, any sort of acceptance. I got that though, didn't I? Attention as a traitor and a villain. Acceptance as a failure and a resounding disappointment."

"He loved you Loki." I said, desperately hanging on to my brother, never wanting to let him go. I could never leave him alone at this moment. I had to let him know that no matter how he felt about father, I had always and will always love my brother with all of my being.

"You may have thought so, brother, but I certainly never saw it." He answered, beginning to look down.

"I love you Loki. I always have and I always will." I choked out, not being able to stand seeing my once strong brother, reduced to such a feeble state.

"I love you too, brother, forever and always." He said, voice dropping to a whisper at the very end.

And I cried.

I cried for Loki, for his pain.

I cried for Loki, for his unyielding love.

And I cried for Loki, for the one who would never cry for himself.

Even unto the end.

Such was the strength of the one I loved.

Of the one I forever proudly would call, my baby brother-no, my brother.

As he always should be.


End file.
